Sustainability Transitions at the Frontline. Lock-in and Potential for Change in the Local Planning Arena

Abstract

This paper explores challenges and possibilities for integrating goals of long-term sustainable development into urban planning practice, with a specific focus on local institutional conditions for sustainability transitions. The analysis is based on a qualitative single case study of a large urban development process: the development of a new city district in Hyllie in the city of Malmö, Sweden. Hyllie was branded as a flagship project for sustainable urban development, with particularly high ambitions on climate neutrality and sustainable energy consumption. Several innovative elements were initiated in the development process, for instance the "climate contract" between the municipality and large energy companies. In the paper, this climate contract is discussed as an initiative with a promising potential for sustainability transitions. In practice, however, the outcome of the development in Hyllie in terms of sustainable development is ambiguous, since the district is also framed around luxury shopping, entertainment, and an ambition to attract visitors from a long distance. The Hyllie development illustrates pre-requisites for work on sustainable development in a decentralized and market-oriented planning context. Theoretically, the analysis is inspired by the multi-level perspective (MLP) and institutional theory. The results illustrate how the development process was shaped by a complex interplay between actors with differing agendas and targets at different stages in the process. These results are applied in a general discussion of challenges and possibilities for urban planning to contribute substantially to a transition to long-term sustainable development. Overall, the analysis demonstrates the importance of considering specific local institutional conditions in strategic work for long-term sustainability.

Identifying Institutional Barriers and Enablers for Sustainable Urban Planning from a Municipal Perspective

“…As outlined before, the theoretical concept of institutional capacity is composed of three dimensions: (1) knowledge resources, (2) relational resources and (3) mobilisation capacity [19,26]. This study focused on a deeper characterisation of the internal factors influencing knowledge resources and mobilisation capacity within a municipal organisation.…”

“…Institutional factors could act as inhibitors for the adoption of sustainability-oriented practices [25]. In this regard, the institutional capacity base determines the extent of the ability of a given organisation to mobilise resources to respond to and manage current economic, social and environmental challenges [17,20,26]. This requires a broader institutional capacity base [2].…”

“…Institutional capacity is described through three main dimensions: knowledge resources, relational resources and mobilisation capacity [19,26]. These depend on a wide variety of factors across different levels within the organisational environment.…”

Public Agency in Changing Industrial Circular Economy Ecosystems: Roles, Modes and Structures

“…This study responds to the call as it offers novel information and guidance on how public agency can actualize in such ecosystems and promote sustainability-oriented CE operations and innovations in the interface between the public and private sectors. This is needed as sustainability transition requires clear roles and co-operation between the public and private sectors, as well as between society and citizens in the CE development process [2,5,6]. Indeed, this study has taken a step toward a multidisciplinary approach to industrial CE ecosystems, since public agency and some related viewpoints from political and social ecology have been discovered in the field of industrial ecology.…”

“…In the circular economy (CE), the strategies of narrowing, slowing, and closing the resource loops (see [1]) are the result of co-creation among multiple actors and organizations, which often requires collaboration between the public sector and private business systems (see, e.g., [2]). For now, public and private actors have been considered separately within the fields of CE research.…”